A Blessing For the Father
by Evelyn Rose Marks
Summary: (Takes place 16 years before Sins of the Father) There hadn't been a lot of things going through my head when I was granted custody of my now one-year-old daughter. Well…there had been one thing. How the Hell was I going to keep up the rep that I was a "genius billionaire playboy philanthropist" with a baby girl on my hip?


_**So I know I am going to do the Avenger's fic, but I felt like I needed some time doing something original and didn't follow the movies. This is the chapter of Tony's life where he becomes a father. WE are going back in time for this one. If you guys haven't read Sins of the Father, I would do so either before or after you read this fic. And as always, PLEASE Read and Review!**_

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_**Tony**_

**Chapter One**

There hadn't been a lot of things going through my head when I was granted custody of my now one-year-old daughter. Well…there were a couple things. How the Hell was I going to keep up the rep that I was a "genius billionaire playboy philanthropist" with a baby girl on my hip…and how the fuck hadn't I missed how crazy her bitch mother had been BEFORE I had decided to sleep with her! She had tried to get alimony and child support from the judge…and she almost would have had it too if Pepper hadn't urged me to run a background check on the woman. I had…and right now, I believed it was the only reason the court had granted me custody. I was the lesser of two evils.

So now I was walking with Happy to the car…holding a sleepy one-year-old girl in my arms. The press was surrounding us, snapping photos and asking question after question…each I brushed off as I climbed into the back of my car with April. I was happy that she was actually so tired…I couldn't imagine having to deal with a hyper child right after such a grueling court case. All I wanted was for us to get home and for me to have a drink.

"Here Tony…" Happy said, handing a bright pink bag towards me.

"Happy, you know I hate being handed things…and what the Hell is that?" I asked, my eyebrows furrowing together.

"It's a diaper bag Tony…for your baby…you know for when-

-Happy…I don't need to know what it's for…I just need to know what you expect me to do with it."

Happy cocked his eyebrow at me and I continued to stare at him. He could not mean that I would be the one lugging this thing around and changing my daughter's diaper. There was just no way that was happening. I was Tony Stark…I did not change diapers. I would modify Dummy later…I was certain that with a bit of tweaking he would be able to do it.

"Alright, then I'll just ask Pepper which one of us she thinks should carry it."

I sighed and snatched the bag from his hand, settling it on the seat beside me. I felt like a five year old that was about to be tattled on to his mother. Happy always pulled the Pepper card when he felt that I was being…unreasonable…and it usually got him his way. Usually. I was feeling charitable right now, which was why I took the bag…it was not in any way shape or form because I was letting Happy have his way.

"You are lucky you are cute…" I grumbled to April, carefully adjusting her in my arms.

April looked up at me with a pair of deep green eyes and gently reached up and touched my cheek. Her little hand was so soft and warm that I couldn't help but smile down at her. I didn't see a bit of her mother in this pure, tiny, face. I planned on keeping it that way too.

When we got home it was to find Pepper waiting for us. She had a rather large smile on her face and I couldn't resist rolling my eyes. I didn't know what she was so happy about. It wasn't like this was her child…no; this was something she wouldn't have to take care of for the next eighteen years of her life. I bet if Pepper was thinking on the same level I was, she would be freaking terrified.

I climbed out of the car, still holding April, and walked over towards her. She still had that wide grin on her face and I sighed a bit.

"Would you like to-

-yes!" she said taking April from my arms and cradling her close.

-hold her…hmm."

Perhaps this whole baby thing would work out. From what I had heard, many women found it attractive when men turned out to be single fathers. However, Pepper looked more interested in April than in me at the moment. Damn kid…she was already stealing my Stark thunder.

"I got her a crib, a changing table, some clothes and toys…-

-wait, you did what? And where did you put all of this stuff?" I asked, following her inside.

"The spare bedroom beside yours. It's a nursery now. I also got her some books for you to read to her and bottles…some baby food…"

"Baby food, Pepper, I don't even feed myself most times."

"Yeah, speaking of that, I canceled your trip to Vegas…there is no way you can take a one year old with you. It just wouldn't work."

"You did what?!" I snapped. "Pepper I had an important business meeting there!"

"Tony, gambling does not count as an important business meeting," Pepper sighed as she carried April into the living room. "And you have more important things to deal with right now."

I knew this was going to happen…my young life was officially over. I wondered if my dad felt this way when he had me…and I guess that explained why he had shipped my ass to a boarding school. Well I wasn't going to be like that jackass…I wasn't going to ship April away. She was my daughter…and I was going to prove to everyone that I was twice the father my dad had ever been. I didn't really know how I was going to come by a balance between April and my life as Tony Stark…but I'm sure there was a way. I was a fucking genius after all…I could invent one in no time.

"So, how did the hearing go?" Pepper asked me, her fingers gently trailing through April's red hair.

"As well as I had expected it would go." I sighed, taking a seat beside her. "She would have gotten the kid if I hadn't done the background check…thanks by the way."

"You're welcome Mr. Stark," she smiled, her eyes watching April lovingly. "She is so beautiful Tony…and she looks just like you."

"How can you tell?" I snorted. "To me she kind of looks like an alien."

"Oh shut up," Pepper chuckled. "You know she is beautiful…this is something you made, Tony…something that came from you. And she will be your greatest creation yet."

I smiled gently at April and brought my hand carefully to rest over her tiny one. When Pepper put it that way…it did make me feel like my life had a bit more worth. I knew that when it came to Stark Industries, I mattered more than most of the people there…but with April…I was her dad…and for some reason that just tasted better to me. Now all I had to do was make sure I earned that title.

"What…what if I'm not good at this whole dad thing, Pep?" I asked softly. "I mean, it isn't like I had a good example to follow."

"It's all about instincts Tony…and you have great instincts," she said. "You just need to shut up a little bit more so you can actually follow them."

I looked down at April and gently stroked a small amount of her red hair. She was so soft and tiny, but I couldn't really feel any of those parental instincts Pepper was talking about. I caught a glimpse of real parents that could just sense when their kids were hungry, or needed changed or held…I felt nothing. Was it something that only happened when you were around for the pregnancy? What if it never came and I was just clueless my entire life. This kid would be lucky if she saw two with how inept I was at being a dad. The only good thing was that Pepper would probably help and she seemed to be the only person in this entire room that had the common sense of a parent.

"What should I do if…she needs something?"

"Give it to her…" Pepper smirked.

"How will I know what it is?" I asked, giving her a look.

"Your parental sense will kick in and you'll just know."

"That doesn't make any sense," I sighed. "What is the thought process of a parent? Does she come with some kind of manual or what?"

I watched as Pepper raised an eyebrow at me and started laughing. I didn't understand what she found so funny about that? It was a legitimate question! Weren't there "Parenting for Dummies" books? Maybe I needed one of those, just to get me started.

"She's not a robot, Tony…" she said, after catching her breath. "No book is going to help you figure her out…I'm still waiting for them to publish a book on the inner mechanisms of your twisted psyche."

"I thought they did in Forbes."

"I didn't get a chance to catch it then."

"I have a copy you can have…want me to autograph it for you?"

"You are too much…" she smirked, standing. "Will that be all Mr. Stark?"

I stood up suddenly and placed my one hand on her shoulder. I didn't want her to leave, what was I supposed to do with April? Could I take her down into the lab with me? What if she needed changed? I was NOT going to change her diaper…I wonder how early is too early to start potty training?

"Wait…you are leaving?" I asked.

"Yes…there are some business matters that I need to attend to for you-

-what about April?"

"I think you can handle it, sir."

"What am I supposed to do with her though?"

Pepper grabbed her purse and began making her way to the door. I followed quickly behind her, trying to give her excuse after excuse as to why she should stay and help me watch April.

"Mr. Stark…you will be fine, if you need help you can just call me…or ask Jarvis."

I felt my face sink into a pout but I refused to admit that I was actually terrified of being home alone with April. I was scared that I was going to screw up…and with her being so young, any screw ups I made was sure to stunt her growth or have some kind of negative affect on her. Pepper left and my shoulder's slumped as I went back over to the sofa where April lay. At least she was napping right now…hopefully that was something she enjoyed doing because something told me that naptime would be the only free-time I would ever get.

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_**(Please Read and Review but no flames!)**_


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